St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1887-07-28
DAMAGE BY FLOODS.
Worst Storm Known i'm New Englan
for Many Years.

Worst Storm Known i'm New England
for Many Years.
The storms of Saturday, Sunday and
Monday in New England were of almost
unprecedented severity. In eastern
New York and western Massachusetts
there were cloud bursts and electric
phenomena. Bridges were carried
away, and dams and acres of grain de-
strOyed. Many cattle were drowned.
The storm swept over New York city
and rain fell in torrents for several
hours. At Phillisburg, N. j., it took
the form of an electric storm, accom-
panied by heavy rainfall. In New
Hampshire it was equally severe.
A frightful feature of the storm was
clOudburst at Great harrington,
Mass, accompanied by electrical phe-
nOmena, a huge gaseous ball descend
ing and bursting with loud report,
the explosion blowing out huge hole
in the ground and scattering debris in
all directions. The appearance was
sudden and startling, only few rolls
of thunder preceding the burst. The
ball is described as about two feet
wide and not over a foot deep, and
the report and conclusion following
it's explosion resembled that of a cant
non. Rain fell in sheets and the rise
of water was unprecedentedly rapid.
In this vicinity the loss is put at $780,
900. Rich farming lands once covered
with heavy crops have been devastat-
ed, while live stock, grain and farm
ing tools which were seized by the tor
rent were east upon the banks for
miles below.
The greatest damage in Massachu-
sets was undoubtedly done in the vi
cinity of Millers Falls, Erving and
Deerfield, where there are serious
washOuts. Uncut grass and grain
have suffered all through the local
region, rye having sprouted in many
fields, while acres of standing oats are
nearly ruined. Corn will not suffer
so badly, although much has been
broken down, but tobacco has been
seriously damaged. The new iron
bridge between Erving and Millers
Falls has been swept away, and at
Montague, Wendell, Leverett and
Warwick it will cost thousands of dol
lars to repair the roads. Trains were
seriously delayed at Millers Falls and
it will take fortnight to make tenn
porary repairs even, along the Fitch
burg railroad. The treacherous Mil
lers river hemmed in by mountains
rose with almost unprecedented ra
pidity and flooded the territory along
it's banks. The embankment of the
Fitchburg road are riddled, Quilted
and wholly washed out at no less than
35 places between Millers Falls and
Erving, a distance of about six miles,
while In addition to this there were a
dozen land-slides, some of them bury
ing up the tracks for some distance.
Travel east and west was wholly sus-
pended between Greenfield and Mil
lers Falls Monday, the highways being
SO badly quilted that they were un-
available.
In New Hampshire great damage
has been done in numerous ways.
The washing of highways alone did an
immense destruction. A public bridge
was carried away in Gambia and sever
al in the northern portion of the state.
In Cornish and the immediate vicinity
200 tons, at least, of hay was caught
out and practically ruined. In the
valleys of the Merrimack, Cocheco,
Pemigewasset and Win
nipeseogee rivers the damage will ag-
gregate large amount. In many in |
stances where the valleys were over
flowed much hay foated away and was
lost. The losses in all directions
the state will foot up the
largest wrought by any storm for
nearly twenty years. All the rivers
were higher than was ever known be-
fore in the summer. The valley of the
Nashua and Merrimack rivers was
Hooded With water and much damage
will result to farmers. Nothing like
5he rainfall of Sunday is remembered
1y the oldest residents. The river at
Raymond overflowed its banks, and
between Raymond and